What is the meaning of baptism? Why do United Methodists baptize babies? The authors explain the biblical and theological meanings of the sacrament of baptism through the words of the Baptismal Covenant of The United Methodist Church. This book is for parents and guardians preparing to present their children for baptism, and for those who seek a deeper knowledge of this sacrament. A great handbook for ministers.

This guide provides information for conference and district directors of Lay Servant Ministries, including: the responsibilities of conference and district directors guidance for organizing Lay Servant Ministries tools for administration information on the Association of Conference Directors of Lay Servant Ministries (ACDLSM) other helpful resources

The Lay Servant Ministries Basic Course Leader's Guide is an introductory course designed to equip new church leaders and renew current leaders in The United Methodist Church. It can be used with adults and youth and is the foundational course for other leadership training courses. This course covers the 3 three core categories of Lay Servant Ministries: Leading, Caring, and Communicating; it also emphasizes ministry in daily life and sharing faith stories. The plans in this Leader's Guide ar...

"God calls you to a life of servanthood as a disciple of Jesus Christ. …Lay Servant Ministries is the first step for many laypersons toward their faith journey as they strive for a closer relationship with the Lord," the authors write in the introduction. The Lay Servant Ministries Basic Course is a foundational course designed to equip new church leaders and renew current leaders in The United Methodist Church. It explores personal spiritual gifts servant leadership each leader's role in d...

Is your congregation living up to its mission? After all, making disciples is what churches are supposed to do. So how do churches go about making disciples? What is a disciple, anyway? And how do congregations know whether they are actually helping people to grow in their faith? Charting a Course for Discipleship provides a step-by-step plan that will help any congregation design a disciple formation process that is effective for its particular context. It will help your church to: identif...

Renowned author Henri Nouwen offers a welcome message for our chaotic times: "Come home to God, and you will no longer feel like a stranger to yourself or the world." Nouwen, a beloved pastor and teacher who authored more than 40 books, had an unusual ability to help readers see the simplicity and beauty of the spiritual life. The deep wisdom and sensitivity that shine forth in his writing encourage people to move closer to the heart of God and dwell in the knowledge of God's love. In this br...

What's the secret to living a spiritual life? So much is happening in our world that we often get distracted and listen to voices other than the voice of God. "If we want to be disciples of Jesus, we have to live a disciplined life," Nouwen asserts. In the spiritual life, discipline requires conscious effort to keep every area in life from being filled up. It means creating space in our life for God to act and speak. Nouwen identifies 3 essential disciplines for maintaining a life of disciple...